Prime Minister Gordon Brown dismissed claims today that he had forgotten the 70th anniversary of the outbreak of World War Two. Some are asking why Britain is not following the lead of Russia and Poland in commemorating a key moment in European history. There is speculation that Brown fears that he might be compared to Winston Churchill who was one of the greatest Prime Ministers and war leaders in British history. Brown's record is less impressive.
It is 70 years since Britain declared war on Germany, heralding the start of World War II. At 11am on September 3, 1939 the Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain broadcast the announcement on radio. Chamberlain of course was the man responsible for appeasing Hitler and is often characterised as a ditherer, something close to Mr Brown's heart. So perhaps unfavourable comparisons with both leaders were ultimately what encouraged him to overlook any commemoration.
That said, Mr Brown later set the record straight. "I was indeed afraid that I might be compared to Churchill, but not for the reasons that people suspect." A Brown aide proceeded to clarify this statement: No10, it seems, had learnt that yet another third rate revisionist had been "trying to flog his new book" by stating that Churchill was a deeply flawed monster, who was utterly wrong to push for war and should have continued down the path of the appeaser Chamberlain. Said the aide: "Mr Brown could never tolerate comparison with someone like that... A warmonger, that is."
Friday, 4 September 2009
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It makes you puke. There are still assholes like William Rees-Mogg claiming in the Times that appeasement was the best course of action.
ReplyDeleteWonder what these appeasers would have done when Hitler, becoming even more powerful, made demands on certain outlying parts of the British Empire.
I think it's true: A lot of these crap Historians simply attack Churchill to make a name for themselves. They might think that they have a grasp of history. They sure don't have a grasp of psychology
ReplyDeleteOutlying parts of the Empire?
ReplyDeleteI think that that is pretty optimistic...
Some people are allowed to have a different take on history you know - like seeing the point of appeasement. Or is that too democratic for you?
ReplyDeleteWhat about the people who agitate about the horrors of Dresden but hardly mention the London Blitz or Coventry?
ReplyDeleteThe liberal agenda is not a pretty one sometimes
Anything you can do, we can do better... We had more appeasers than you.
ReplyDeleteJoseph Kennedy was among them before the war
The sad thing about pacifists is that they have no defence... literally
ReplyDeleteI read the Rees-Mogg article. He lived through the period (I think). How can he have supported appeasement?
ReplyDeleteWouldn't his wealthy family have worried about their 'assets' in the far flung reaches (if nothing else)???
Isn't this about Brown in reality?
ReplyDeleteWhat kind of asshole hires an idiot like Ainworth as Defence Sec?
"If you're not a liberal when you're 20, you have no heart. If you're not a conservative when you're 40, you have no head."
ReplyDeleteNot necessarily a Churchill (related) quote... Francois Guisot: "Not to be a republican at twenty is proof of want of heart; to be one at thirty is proof of want of head."
ReplyDeleteYou know you're getting older, when the politicians start looking dumber...
ReplyDeleteErrrrm.... Georges Clemenceau (1841-1929): "Not to be a socialist at twenty is proof of want of heart; to be one at thirty is proof of want of head."
ReplyDeleteAs George Bernard Shaw said, one who is not a socialist at 20 has no heart, and one who remains a socialist at 40 has no head.
ReplyDeleteYeah, what the hell is going on with Ainsworth?
ReplyDeleteIt looks like a repetition of the Des Brown situation. A farcical appointment.
Brown is trying to make the Defence post appear pointless by appointing useless men.
Although you could say that there was a pointless man at the Treasury, then a pointless man at No10. Called Gordon Brown.
Ainsworthless is superb. Don't knock him.
ReplyDeleteKnock knock.
ReplyDeleteWho's there?
Bob.
Bob who?
Joking apart, why is there no commem for 3rd Sept?
ReplyDeleteBrown is not one to run away from a photo op.
What is the reason?
reason doth never prosper for if it prosper then none dare call it reason
ReplyDeleteReally sad when you hear conservatives saying that Churchill was wrong and Chamberlain was right.
ReplyDeleteTheorists are all over the place nowadays
ReplyDeleteArmchair variety
ReplyDelete